Plugged in parents

50% of UK parents turn to their children for gadget guidance

Half of British parents turn to their children for help on how to use latest technology, our research has found.

Findings from the study, which was conducted with over 2,000 UK parents, reveal that:

19% children have technical skills before the age of 5

38% of parents feel they need to impress their children with gadget knowledge

82% of parents say gadgets are useful in running their households

And a third of parents say the laptop/tablet is their all-time greatest gadget invention.

Surprisingly though just under half consider the impact their gadget use could be having on their energy bills.

Tools like our Saving Energy Toolkit make it possible to see how much energy a household uses, to help ensure they're using and paying for no more energy than they need.

Sara Vaughan, E.ON's Director of Strategy and Regulation, said: “In a world of constant technological advancement, it's hardly surprising that many parents are still seeking help from their children - a whole generation on from when we helped our own parents programme the family VCR.

"Although some gadgets can be difficult to master at first, technology can offer many advantages and actually help parents manage a busy household.”

E.ON's Saving Energy Toolkit has been designed so it is easy to use and has so far helped over 600,000 of its customers find out detailed information about where and when energy is being used in their homes.